Rail-joint.



JAMES DAUGHERTY, OF AKRON, OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 190s.

Application led June 21, 1907. Serial No. 380,133.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES DAUGHERTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rail joints for securing the ends of contiguous rails against casual displacement, without the employment of bolts or other like devices and enables either of the rails to be removed without having to disturb the other, and the said invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail joint embodying my invention, only one of the rails and one of the locking plates being shown. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line a-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the locking plates, showing the inner side thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking wedges. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line b-b of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention, I provide a sole plate 1 to bear under the ends of two contiguous rails, between them and the ties, to support such ends of the rails, the said sole plate being of suitable length, and preferably of such a length as to bear on several of the ties. In practice, the sole plate is provided on one side with a vertically extending flange 2 which is undercut and beveled on its under side, as at 3. A longitudinal channel 4 which is transversely inclined so that its bottom is at an angle of about 35 degrees and parallel with the under cut lower side?) of the flange 2, is also formed in the said sole plate. Near the opposite side of the sole plate is a longitudinal Achannel 5 which extends nearly from end to end thereof, is closed at its ends, as at 6, and provides on its outer side a flange 7 which is undercut and beveled, as at 8. In practice, the said sole plate may be a casting. It may be otherwise constructed within the sco e of my invention and I do not desire to imit myself in this particular. The said' sole plate is provided in one side with openings 9 which extend vertically therethrough, pass through the flange 2 and intersect the outer side of the channel 4.

Rails bear on that portion 10 of the sole plate between channels 4-5 so that the base flanges at one side of the rails enter the ch annel 4 and bear under the fiange 2.

In connection with each rail end is employed a lock plate 11. The base portions 12 of the said lock plate are of a size and shape to enable them to fit in the channel 5, end to end. The base portion of each lock plate is provided with a longitudinal channel 13 on its inner side to receive one of the base flanges of a rail and is also provided with bosses 14 in said channel to engage notches in the sides of the rail base flange and co-act with such notches to prevent the rails from being moved longitudinally. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the length of the channel 5 in the sole plate is slightly greater than the combined length of both of the lock plates employed in connection with such sole plate so that the lock plates may move longitudinally with the ends of the rails as the latter contract and expand under variations of temperature. Each lock plate is formed near its inner end with an upwardly extending inwardly inclined arm 15 to bear against one side of the rail at the end thereof and under the rail head, as shown in Fig. 2. The said lock plates are placed on the outer sides of the rails and it will be observed that the inclined arms 15 thereof by bearing directly under the heads of the rails effectually prevent the latter from turning or preading and causing the cars to be derailed.

t will also be understood that the flanges 7 at the outer sides of the lock plates bear on such lock plates and effectually prevent them from being raised from the sole plate. Before the lock plates can be removed from the sole plate, the rail must be inclined inwardly. The laterally beveled or inclined channel 4 and the similarly beveled undercut side of the fiange 2 permit the rails to be thus inclined and the lock plates to be removed when it is desired to remove the rails or either of them. To prevent the casual displacement or removal of the rails, I provide locking wedges 16, such as shown in Fig. 4, which are adapted to be inserted and driven downwardly through the openings 9 in the sole plate. Such wedges are provided on their inner sides near their lower ends with shoulders 17 to engage the lower side of the sole plate and hold the wedges in place so that the latter prevent the rail from being turned. On the outer sides of the wedges are shoulders 18 to engage the opposing surfaces of the soleplate and lock the said wedges in lace.

In practice, the lock plates and the wedges are preferably forged. They may, however, be otherwise constructed within the scope of my invention, and l do not desire to limit myself in this particular. l

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with rail ends, a sole plate supporting the same having an undercut flange on one side bearing on the base flanges at one side of the rails and provided in the opposite side with a longitudinal channel ,having closed ends and provided at its outer side with` an undercut flange, lock plates vin such channel, held against casual longitudinal movement by the ends thereof, engaging and held down by the undercut flange at the outer side of such channel and having arms bearing against the contiguous side of the rails and under the heads thereof.

2. In combination with a rail, a sole plate 4supporting the same having a longitudinal flange and a longitudinal and laterally inclined channel at one side, suchflange being undercut over such channel, the said sole plate further provided with a vertical opening extending through such flange and intersecting such channel, and being further provided with a longitudinal channel near its opposite side providing a flange at the outer side of such last mentioned channel,` such rail having one of its base flanges in the first mentioned channel and partly overhung by the first mentioned undercut flange, a wedge in such opening having a shoulder engaging the sole plate `and a shoulder engaging one side of such rail, and lock plates in the longitudinal channel of the sole plate bearing against the opposite side of the rail base flange and also bearing against the flange forming the outer side of such channel, such lock plate having an arm bearing against such rail and under the. head thereof.

ln testimonywhereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J AMES DAUGHERTY.

' Witnesses:

H. E. KEPLER, H. L. WEAVER. 

